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Summary: A Very Interesting View of Anna Comnena's Life
Review: I just finished reading this book a few days ago, and I must say, I simply loved it. The story is about Anna Comnena, a Byzantine princess who lived in the 1000s. She recalls her story of being heir to the throne until her brother John and grandmother Anna Dalassena work against her. Later, at Anna's and her mother's attempt to assassinate John, both are sent to separate convents to live. If you are interested in historical fiction, I would definitely recommend this and also The Royal Diaries, Young Royals series.
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Summary: One of my favorite historical fiction books!
Review: I loved this book. I ordered it on a whim and was not dissapointed. I read it in an afternoon, almost in one sitting. For me, it's one of the best historical novels I've read. It's very exciting and heartbreaking; you'll get very involved in the story as the main character deals with so much in her life.
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Summary: Never Have I Read Such A Captivating Book
Review: I must start off with saying that I have read hundreds of books over the last years of my life. Never, never have I picked up a book and been so captivated with it and so into it that I could be right there, right alongside the character and feel their pain and their loss. Anna Comnena is the daughter of Alexius Comnenus and Irene Ducas. The Ducases had once ruled the fair sized Byzantine Empire but exchanged their throne to the Comnenus with many bribes and marriages and threats. Alexius's family got the right to the throne and married a Ducas princess-Irene. And from this marriage came many healthy children (although only 3 are mentioned in this book-Anna, Maria, and John). However, Alexius's mother-Anna Dalassena is a power-hungry cold woman who takes Anna and turns her into a small version of herself with lessons on how to rule the empire since Anna Comnena is the rightful heir. However, Anna is headstrong and won't have anyone control her. And so in but a day, Anna's right to the throne is taken away-along with her betrothed, who dies not soon after anyway. And in Anna's place goes the gossipy, rude, cruel, lowly, brother of Anna and Maria-John, He is simply a tool of Anna Dalassena. Anna wants the right to rule and will stop at nothing to have her grand children on the throne so she can control them when the inherit the throne. However, John treats his sisters and mother and even his father as trash. Following the stripping of her title and her rights to the palace library and areas she once enjoyed, Anna's father dies after another military campaign. John is now king. However, irene will not see anyone other than Anna on the throne and so Anna and Irene plan to poison John and put Anna on the throne. However, they are caught in their actions.Irene goe sinsane and is sent away to the mountains. Anna is sent to live her days in a convent. This book is so real to you! The emotions and descriptions are so short but vivid. The fights between Irene and Alexius and Anna Dalassena and the two are so real you wish you could jump into them and tear out Anna Dalassena's hair (As Anna Comnena did at one part!). You want to hurt John as Anna tried to and you want to be there to stick up for Anna when she can't. This is definitely a family drama and a very historical tale roled into one. However, it is worth every penny you spend on it. I have re-read it a few times now and I still can't get enough of it. I will warn you though, this book is full of a lot of sorrow and you will definitely feel as upset as Anna at some points. However, it is fun to think that although Anna was taken off the throne so she would never become something--she amounted to more than anyone in her family. She is copnsidered the first female historian and has given the world a beautiful description of Byzantine life and the history of the Ducas and Comneni families. I will definitely look for THE ALEXIAD the next time I go to a boosktore of library. This is a wonderufl book and is for everyone, boy or girl of every age. And don't be afraid to learn something from it.....
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Summary: Great characterization
Review: I rarely read historical fiction, but I finished this book in one sitting. Tracy Barrett does a wonderful job of characterizing Anna and the people who surround her. Besides the great characterization, the plot is a true page-turner. Excellent book!
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Summary: very good.
Review: i really have to say i really enjoyed reading it.anna was kind of bitter about losing her throne,but who can blame her?she lost it to her bratty little brother who wanted 2 see her dead.but overall,id say its great.if you liked this book,youll love the princess diaries by meg cabot.(which,by the way,is not a novelization!)
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Summary: One Amazing Review
Review: I was amazed at this touching, well crafted novel! It was an interesting look at the royalty of the Byzantine Empire in the dark ages. Anna Comnena is a great charachter that I felt I was melting into as I read this novel. I laughed and cried at Anna's friendship with Sophia, her discovery and rage at her Grandmother's lies and manipulative tactics and many more feelings. With beautifully created characters, passions, loves and hatreds Anna Of Byzantium is a novel that nobody should miss!
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Summary: interesting book, but.....
Review: I was expecting a historical novel about the Byzantine Empire , but in this book I've found a family-drama of the common people in U.S.A. Yes, I was surprised that the characters in the book were too much "vulgar" or "unsophisticated" as if they were American land-owners. Although it was very different from the historical "fact", the personality of Anna Komnene's grandmother Anna Dalassene "IS" the most interesting, nice and comical. However , Who in the world can imagine that the Imperial Crown Princess Anna Komnene had such a small party of ladies -in-waiting , eunuchs , nurses & slaves ? Even I, a common Japanese born after the 2nd World War had my own nurse, a servant and a tutor and my sister had her own nurse,a maid-servant and a governess respectively. Therfore, we can find in the book only the "life-sized" people of modern America. Well Americanized intersting novel it is ! Anyway, I recommend it for every child to read.
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Summary: I Never Knew About Anna!
Review: I was first attracted to this book by its wonderful cover-I just had to know about the character depicted there! Anna Comnena is growing up in the Byzantine empire in the 1000's, and her intelligence and cunning has earned the throne someday. Anna's namesake and grandmother, Anna Dalassena, begins to teach her about the art of ruling and telling her about sometimes-dishonest ways to go about ruling. Under her grandmother's tutelage, Anna becomes more and more like her-hard and deceitful. The already-strained relationship between Anna's mother and grandmother becomes even more strained-Anna's mother wants Anna to be taught about honesty, caring, and justice, not manipulation. However, Anna's keen mind proves to be a threat to her grandmother, so much that she finds that throne might not be her own anymore... "Anna of Byzantium" isn't totally exciting from the beginning, but if you contiunue reading you'll find that it builds until you just have to keep reading. This book was kind of special, because the inspiring heroine was a real person. Anna's tale is told a little stiffly at times, but characterizations of her mother, grandmother, and father are good, and we really get glimpse at this royal family's strained (to say the least) family life. Also interesting are the subtle references to customs (like veiling, marriage, and wearing purple cloth)that are woven through Anna's narrative. Here is an interesting book with an intelligent, inspiring heroine...get past the slow beginning and you'll be glad you kept reading!
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Summary: A Racist Book , Parents Beware
Review: I would not recommend this book for your child if you
are Mexican-American, African-American, Asian, or
Middle-Eastern. Non-white characters are depicted
as stupid and ugly by the author of this book. Don't have your little girl read this book especially
if she has brown eyes! She'll be told by the author
that brown eyes are unintelligent and VERY UGLY!
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining
Review: I'm probably too old for "Anna of Byzantium", for I found it a touch simplistic -- especially for, y'know, a *Byzantine* story. Still, it was a fun read. Anna as the author portrays her is a likable, realistic adolescent; the story is fast-paced and usually well-written; and though it sometimes seems oddly modern, it's never exasperatingly so. Probably the best thing about the book is that it will introduce young readers to a place and period that they'll be less familiar with than, say, the setting of "Catherine Called Birdy".
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